Austin’s neighborhoods are diverse and serve up a host of living options. Want a lakefront gated community (if you can afford it)? You got it. Looking for a cute heritage cottage surrounded by a bunch more cute heritage cottages? You got it. Downtown condo tower? You got it. You get the picture. In this blog we give an overview of several neighborhoods that offer something a bit different. Our earlier blog (see: https://austindetours.com/austins-growth-part-1-some-numbers/ ) gives a summary of current price trends, all of which are on a seemingly unstoppable upward curve.

Hyde Park:

Hyde Park is one of Austin’s older neighborhoods and crammed full of 100+ year-old homes brimming with heritage and history. Bordered by Interstate 35 to the east, Guadalupe St/ Lamar Boulevard to the west, 51st St to the north and 38th St to the south, Hyde Park is a well-located ‘hood in demand with price tags to match. Many of the properties fall into the ‘quaint, characterful, small’ bracket so if you have a large family and pets you might feel a little squeezed. Some parts of the ‘hood are going through a transition creating striking contrasts between newly remodeled properties and those that long-time residents prefer to keep funky. It’ll likely cost you $400,000 to get any sort of foothold in Hyde Park and much more if you’re looking for a larger, pristine place.

Riverside:

A few miles to the south of Hyde Park is the up and coming ‘hood of Riverside, sandwiched between Interstate 35 to the west, Pleasant Valley Rd to the east, Oltorf to the south and the lake to the north. Being so close to the water is a major attraction, as the rows of kayaks tied up outside the apartment complexes will attest. Riverside is close to downtown and the ever-sprawling east side, and offers a good range of properties to suit most needs. If you’re looking for a house, the prices are lower than in many parts of town and you’ll have a chance of finding a yard with enough space for great entertaining. Expect to pay comfortably above $250,000 to get on the ladder here. You won’t need to travel far to find some of Austin’s best food trucks, including our favorite Churro Co who you can read more about here: http:austindetours.com/austins-food-trucks-part-1-desserts

Mueller:

New mixed-use master-planned developments aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but we think the folks behind Mueller got it dead right. Situated east of Interstate 35 on the old Mueller Municipal Airport site between Airport Boulevard to the north, 51st St to the north and Manor Rd to the east, this urban ‘hood is home to nearly 6,000 households and has parks, retail and entertainment in abundance. Properties range from apartments to large single family homes, with a range of price-points that include some sensibly-priced alternatives. That said, you’ll still need to find upwards of $700,000 if you want a bigger place, and private yard space is at a premium.